California Track

The California track supports seafood enterprise interested in growing their venture by meeting investors and new business partners, or investors or industry leaders interested in the latest innovations in seafood.

Events and Online "Readiness Assessment"

A workshop and pitch session was held for the California track in San Francisco, in November 2018. Since then, applicants have been entering the online Readiness Assessment process. The deadline for new applicants has now passed (it was May 19, 2019), and those that entered are currently being assessed by investors to see which qualify for the Fish 2.0 Global Innovators Forum, in November 2019.

• California Track Eligibility (Click for details)

  1. To be eligible, all businesses in this track must either

  • Utilize or benefit California fishery resources, OR
  • Benefit California seafood supply chains, OR
  • Support ocean climate resilience in a way that would have a positive impact on California coasts.

  2. Start-up, early stage and established businesses may participate.

  3. Ventures must be revenue generating or expect to be revenue generating. They should be seeking either investment or business/industry partnerships, not grant funding.

  4. Ventures may be involved in any aspect of seafood supply chains, climate resilience technologies or seafood production, harvesting and trade. Examples include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Seafood production, trade and/or supply chains.
  • Providing services for fisheries management.
  • Technologies and business models that increase climate resilience for fisheries and fishing communities.
  • Changing supply chains in ways that promote sustainability and local food systems.
  • Creating new forms of seafood storage and logistics, consumer products, processes or products that reduce waste, ways to shorten seafood supply chains or provide local seafood to California consumers including CSFs and others, and other innovations are all eligible.
  • Increasing transparency and/or traceability in seafood supply chains.
  • Technology-based ventures are welcome and non-technology solutions are also eligible.
  • Financial enterprises and investment/loan funds that support sustainable fisheries and seafood.

  If you are in doubt about your eligibility, email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

SPONSORS

The California track is made possible thanks to the support of:

The California Ocean Protection Council supports healthy, resilient, and productive ocean and coastal ecosystems in California through advancing innovative tools and collaborative approaches based on the best available science. The Council’s Sustainable Fisheries program aims to enhance the sustainability of California’s ocean fisheries to protect marine ecosystems, port communities, and coastal economies, particularly in the face of a changing climate. Learn more on our sponsor page.

We invite co-sponsors to join OPC in support of this track and its events. Please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to discuss this opportunity to help shape California sustainable seafood.

Local Partner

Schmidt Marine Technology Partners is a program of the Schmidt Family Foundation that supports the development of ocean technologies with compelling conservation and research applications, as well as strong commercialization potential. Learn more here.